£6m: highest-ever accident settlement in Western Australia secured by Stewarts Law

Julian Chamberlayne, partner and head of Stewarts Law’s travel team, and Chris Deacon, solicitor specialising in international personal injury, settled the High Court case of Sarah Thomas v (1) James Baker and (2) Insurance Commission of Western Australia for £6.25m.

The settlement is thought to be the highest reported award for a paraplegic claimant in both England & Wales and Western Australia, and secures the compensation required by our client to meet her future care, accommodation and rehabilitation needs.

In 2010 Thomas was journeying through Western Australia when her friend who was driving lost control and rolled the vehicle as he swerved to miss a lizard in the road. Sarah was ejected from the vehicle, leaving her with T12 incomplete paraplegia.

Article extracted from The Lawyer 2015.03.30 

Perth man details lion mauling online after safari attack

A young man from Perth has escaped with his life after a lion jumped through an open car window and attacked him during a safari tour in South Africa.

Brendan Smith had landed in Johannesburg less than two days before the vicious attack, he said in a Facebook post tinged with humour, reports WA Today

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WARNING: GRAPHIC IMAGE BELOW

"No later than 36 hours after touching down in Africa I find myself in hospital after a lion jumped through the car window and decided to go to town on my legs," he wrote.

"Pretty full-on but am alive, with insurance coming to the party and an influx of curious Africans wanting to see 'the lion man'.

"Could have and should have been a lot worse but chicks dig scars so I'll be sweet!"

He even posted graphic photos of his injuries from his hospital bed in Johannesburg, showing what appear to be teeth puncture marks.

His post also included a picture of two female lions lazing on the grass, although it is not known if these were the lions that attacked him.

Mr Smith was planning to go on a shark dive south of Cape Town after his safari, but it is unclear if he will continue with these plans.

The Perth man posted this picture of his leg, which he claimed was mauled when a lion jumped through his car. (Facebook)

Article extracted from 9news 2015.03.30

Buffett speaks on first Aussie insurer investment

Warren Buffett, CEO of Berkshire Hathaway, has revealed what drove the company to its “strategic partnership” with IAG, which was announced yesterday.

The Oracle of Omaha told investors via video link that IAG offers a “very important and enduring relationship,” that will help establish Berkshire Hathaway in Australia and New Zealand.

“Berkshire is a large, very diversified company here in the United States but despite the fact that we are in a great many businesses, our first love, our long time love and our future love has always been the insurance business,” Buffett said of the investment.

Buffett noted that Berkshire Hathaway have been involved in the insurance business since 1967 where a stake of US$8 million has developed into a multi-national business worth over US$100 billion and that long-term development led the company to IAG.

“In the course of that business, 15 years ago or so, we entered our first commercial transaction with IAG and as the years have passed and we’ve gotten to know them better and they’ve gotten to know us better, we’ve both found a great deal to admire in each other’s organisations.

“Very recently, we decided to cast aside a commercial relationship and establish a very important and enduring partnership arrangement. IAG is a terrifically strong company with great strengths in many areas, Berkshire has got some strengths and we believe by bringing these two companies closer together as partners, that each company will benefit in a very substantial way.

Buffett was quick to note that while the original agreement stretches ten years, Berkshire Hathaway see the IAG investment as a long-term plan to develop business in the region.

“Even though this contract runs for ten years I expect for decades and decades and decades to come that both companies will benefit in many ways that we can’t even perhaps visualise right now, so I’m looking forward to it, our managers are looking forward to it, our shareholders are looking forward to this partnership and I can’t tell you how delighted I am to be with it.”

Managing director and CEO of IAG, Mike Wilkins, stressed that deal will see no great change in the strategy of IAG moving forward as the company continues to look to Asia as a key driver of new business.

“As you heard from Warren, both of us believe that this is a win-win partnership for our respective organisations,” Wilkins said.

“IAG’s strategy and our strategic priorities are essentially unchanged.

“It’s this strategy that Berkshire Hathaway are supporting as they enter into the strategic partnership with us. Our strong businesses in Australia and New Zealand represent the majority of the group and we don’t see that changing.

“These markets continue to contain growth opportunities for us, however we also see continuing opportunities in our target markets in Asia. For all of you, our ambitions in Asia are nothing new and we continue to see enormous potential in the region.”

Buffett, who Wilkins noted was involved throughout the deal process, said that his first Australian investment has been worth the wait.

“One small footnote, in fact it’s sort of a confession, I’m 84-years-old and this is my first investment in an Australian company… it’s been worth waiting for.

“We’ve now picked the best and we’ve entered into an area of the world where we have done some business before but now we are coming in with an ownership position and better late than never and... here we are in Australia and I’m delighted to be here.”

Former broker jailed in fraud case

A former insurance broker has been jailed for 18 months for defrauding clients of nearly $60,000.

Mark Chappel, formerly of AgriRisk, fought the charges but was found guilty and has lodged an immediate appeal to the sentencing, according to The Northern Daily Leader.

Based in Tamworth, Chappel obtained over $57,000 of his clients’ money illegally through invoice irregularities and was sentenced by Magistrate Michael Holmes last week.

“He was taking advantage of the trust he was in with the victims,” Magistrate Holmes said, according to The Northern Daily Leader.

“This dishonesty has not been a spur-of-the-moment thing. 

“It has been over a considerable period of time ... all considerable amounts of money to small businesses and farms.”

Magistrate Holmes convicted Chappel on all eight counts of fraud as Chappel was jailed for 18 months with a minimum non-parole period of six months.

“This matter has been a disaster for the defendant,” Chappel’s solicitor Chris Zucker said.

“Obviously, he lost his job, he lost a subsequent job and he’s unlikely to work in the insurance industry again.”


Article Extracted from IBO 2015.05.19 

Three business communication mistakes and how to avoid them

Great communication is essential for running a small business, but it’s rarely given priority. Correct these common business communication mistakes and your business will be much better off.

Without good business communication you can lose touch with how your customers are feeling, how the wider market is behaving and importantly what your competitors are up to. Here are three areas where communication is often forgotten.

1. Not responding to customer feedback

Feedback comes in many forms, whether a formal written complaint, a comment on social media, a review on a review website, verbal feedback or a testimonial. Businesses who don't respond to feedback aren't showing their manners and are losing an opportunity to create better relationships with their customers.

The fix: If your customers are taking the time to mention how they feel, thank them for their opinion, even if it is negative. Responding shows that you value their contribution.

“ Customers who complain actually still want to work with your business (or perhaps need your business); if they didn't care they would just move on.  ”

If it’s positive feedback, show your thanks and you'll probably find more love coming your way in the form of referrals and repeat business. A quick email to say thank you is good; a card/box of chocolates/voucher – even better.

If it’s negative feedback, thank them for expressing their concerns and you could win a fan for life. Most people just want to be heard. Call them and talk to them about the situation, let them know you value their opinion and that you'll get back to them when you've reviewed the situation more closely.

Remember: customers who complain actually still want to work with your business (or perhaps need your business); if they didn't care they would just move on. 

2. Not seeking customer feedback

Your service/product is fantastic and your sales are good, but then a competitor with a similar offering comes into the market. They have spent considerable time talking to their potential clients, providing free samples, providing free consultations to get feedback from the market to improve their product. All of a sudden they are leading the way and you are now playing catch-up. There is a simple way to avoid this situation.

The fix: Seek feedback from your clients. Take every interaction with your clients as an opportunity to find out what they think about your product/service. That doesn’t mean you need to conduct a survey every time. Surveys do have their place but consider your market – they may already be over-surveyed!

• When you are on the phone with a client about another matter end the call by asking if they were happy with a previous service/product provided.
• Call back a client who had complained previously, tell them what you've done to address the issue and ask for their feedback.
• A quick "How are we doing?" form given to clients at the end of a job may also yield some interesting feedback.

Armed with this information you can make better decisions to help you stay competitive.

3. No internal communication strategy

When businesses grow from being a one- or two-person operation to having multiple employees or contractors many businesses don't consider that the communication systems and processes they used when they were smaller just won't work with a larger team.

The fix: Make sure you plan how you'll keep your extended team informed and involved in what is happening in your business. Whether you have:

• a 10-minute catch-up each morning in person or via Skype
• a formal minuted weekly/fortnightly meeting
• an "on the boss" lunchtime catch-up
• scheduled email updates
• a noticeboard.

Make sure it works for your business. If you have a mobile or decentralised team, communication is even more important – spend some time getting it right.

Keeping your clients and extended team involved in your business will help you to build a more engaged team who'll help you keep ahead of the pack.

Article Extracted from Flying Solo 2014.02.08 

have fun Celebrating Easter 2015

On Easter Sunday, many people receive or search for Easter eggs, they are usually made from chocolate, candy or are decorated hens' or plastic eggs.  They can be covered in brightly colored foil or decorated with images of rabbits or chicks. Many people organize Easter egg hunts in parks or gardens all for a smile.

Well-known cultural events over the Easter weekend include the Blessing of the Fleet Festival in Ulladulla, New South Wales, the Sydney Royal Easter Show in Sydney, New South Wales, the National Folk Festival in Canberra, Australian Capital Territory, and the Australian Gospel Music Festival in Toowoomba, Queensland. 


There are also a range of local Easter festivals across the country. The Easter weekend is also an important time for sports fixtures and many people spend the day watching these events on television. Noteworthy sports events include major league football matches, horse racing meetings, the Brisbane to Gladstone Yacht Race, the Tasmania Three Peaks Race and the Stawell Easter Gift.
 


Traditionally, Easter eggs were supposedly delivered by the Easter rabbit or bunny. This is similar to the tradition in many European countries. However, rabbits are seen as pests in Australia, as they destroy crops and natural habitats.


For this reason, there has been a movement to suggest that Easter eggs are hidden by the Easter bilby. The bilby is a small, shy mammal with big ears, which is native to Australia and an endangered species. It is possible to buy Easter bilbies made from chocolate and some of the profits go to help preserve these animals.

Easter Sunday is a very important day for Christians, since the resurrection of Christ reflects a central idea in Christianity. Many Christians attend church services even if they do not attend services regularly during the rest of the year. For non-religious people and followers of other faiths, the four-day Easter weekend is a welcome break and a chance to enjoy a range of sporting and cultural events.

HISTORICAL CUSTOMS
Many of the Easter customs originate from customs tied with the spiritual beliefs of Europeans in pre-Christian times. In Europe, Easter marked the beginning of spring. As winter passed, nature returned to life and birds began laying eggs. Small animals, such as rabbits, came out of hibernation and could be seen running around and mating in the fields.

Various symbols are associated with Easter. Christian symbols include crosses, Jesus' empty tomb and the white and gold vestments (robes) worn by priests and  church leaders. Other symbols include Easter eggs, rabbits, chocolates and the Easter bilby.